A late Tuesday night, Feb. 21 traffic stop on a red Nissan pickup for vehicle code violations led to the arrests of two men for auto theft.

At 10:45 p.m., Officer J. Valenzuela was patrolling in the 3500 block of Central Avenue when he saw the driver, Michael Chadwick, 28, of Modesto, commit a traffic violation. The officer learned that the pickup was reported stolen earlier in the day.

Chadwick and passenger Markous Rouner, 32, of Ceres were removed from the vehicle at gunpoint and arrested for vehicle theft and possession of a stolen vehicle. Additionally, Chadwick was arrested for possession of burglary tools. 

Both were booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center.